Abdominal and back supporter.



No. 708,402. Paientedvsept 2,1902.

0 H. c. & L. c. HASH.v

ABDOMINAL AND BACK SUPPORTI-1R.

Y (Appn'mon filed Apr. 1, 1902.-,

(No Model.)

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No. 708,402. Patented sept-.52, |902. l

H. c. 0 L. 0. RAsH. ABDMINLv AND BACK SUPPRTER.

(Applicaeipnfued Apr. 1, 1902.)

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(NmMndel.)

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HOWARD C. RASH AND LEON C. RASH, OF SALINA, KANSAS, ASSIGNORS TO THENATURAL BODY BRAOE COMPANY, OF SALINA, KANSAS, A CORPO- RATION OFKANSAS.

ABDOIVHNAL AND BACK SUPPORTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. '708,402' datedSeptember 2, 1902 Application tiled April l, 1902. Serial No. 100.956.(No model.)

T tu wtowt t Wray concern:

Beit known that we, HOWARD O. RAsH and LEON O. RASH, citizens of theUnited States, residing at Salina, in the county of Saline,

State of Kansas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inAbdominal and Back Supporters, of which the following is a description,reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, and to the letters ofreferro ence marked thereon.

Our invention relates to combined abdominal and back supporters.

The objects of the invention are to provide a combined abdominal andback supporter of simple construction capable of being easily appliedand having its parts relatively adjustable to t different persons ofvdifferent shape and size; also to provide such a supporter withshoulder-straps which may be zo readily removed when desired; to providefor the effectual retaining of the pads in their adjusted positions onthe wearer. These ob- .jects we accomplish by the mechanism shown in theaccompanying drawings, in whichz5 Figure 1 is a front perspective of ourimproved abdominal and back supporter with the shoulder-braces appliedwith the front or abdominal plate closed. Fig. 2 is a similar Viewlooking from the rear with the front plate 3o in the closed position.Fig. 3 is an enlarged view of the front or abdominal plate removed. Fig.4 is a detail sectional view through one of the hip-springs andback-springs at their point of connection; and Fig. 5 is a section online 5 5, Fig. 3.

A designates the sectional adjustable front or abdominal plate, of anysuitable form and material. This plate is formed in two sections A' A2,overlapped at their inner re- 4o duced ends and held in contact by upperand lower guide-flanges a c, formed by folding the upper and lower edgesoli' section A2 to form guideways for the upper and loweroutwardly-projecting flanges A3 of the reduced inner end of section A.This reduced portion of section A' is provided with an open slot a',through which extends the screw a2, mounted in the section A2 andprovided with a bail-nut a3, which bears on the outer face 5o of thesection A', and so clamps the two sections together. The section A2 isfurther formed with a T-shaped guide-rib A4, passing through the slota', with its outer flange or head portion overlying the section A atopposite sides of said slot. Thus the two sections A A2 will be held inslidingl connection without any lateral or twisting movement. Byloosening this nut the sections A' A2 may be adjusted in or out, so asto shorten or lengthen the plate, and when the nut is loosened the platesections may be separated. The flange A3 extends, preferably,l entirelyaround the margin of the front plate A and is cut away at the uppercorners of the plate, as shown at c4.

B B are the curved hip-straps, formed of ribbon, steel or other suitablespring metal. These hip-straps are pivoted at their front ends to therespective plate-sections A A2 and pass out through the cut-away placesc4 in the 7o iiange A3, the ends of the flange thus forming stops c5 a5to limit the upward movement of the said hip-straps'. The rear ends ofthe hip-straps B B are each provided with a plurality of round holes bb, through which pass the round Unthreaded portions of the screws b,which carry the S-shaped back-springs O, said screws being provided withbail-nuts b2 on their outer ends and being squared Where they passthrough the square openings c in back-springs C. Thus freedom ofmovement is allowed between the hip springs and the back-springs toaccommodate movements on the part of the wearer, while the screws areheld from turning in the 8|; back-springs O by the squared openings andsquared portions of the screws b. By changingthe position of the screwsb to diierent holes b the hip-straps may be lengthened or shortened. Theback-springs O C are each provided with a plurality of the squareopenings c c, so that they may be raised or lowered,. and so bring theround back pads or plates D D, secured to their upper and lower ends,into proper position relative tothe parts 95 of the body to be pressedupon. The upper pads D are connected by inelastic webbing CZ, While thelower pads D are similarly connected by straps d.

To each lower back plate or pad is secured roo by the same rivet thatsecures it to its spring a buckle c or equivalent adjusting device,which carries a perineal strap E. These perineal straps E are providedat their forward ends with slides c', each having a keyhole-slot c2 toengage headed studs e3, projecting from the front-plate sections A' A2,respectively. These headed studs e3 also serve to prevent the hip-strapsb from swinging down too far.

The webbing d, which connects the upper back-pads D, is preferably themiddle portion of an inelastic belt F. In any event the upper back-padsare secured to a belt F, which is adapted to pass around the waist andbe secured in front, above and independent of the front plate A, by abuckle or other suitable means. It will be seen that this belt will holdthe back-pads D from working up and down out of position and alone or inconnection with the perineal straps will securely hold the pads as adjusted on the wearer.

The support so constructed may be readily applied by simply opening thefront plate and passing the hip-straps around from the back to the frontand then adjusting the sections A A2, properly tightening theirsecuring-nut, and then bringing the perineal straps u p from the rearand securing them to the studs e3.

Buckles g g are also secured to the upper back-pads D D, and to thesebuckles are adjustably connected the lower ends of the elastic straps GG, which form the shoulderbrace. These straps G G are connected by ashort transverse strap g', having buckles g2 g2 at its respective ends,to which the free ends of the straps G are connected to form theshoulder-loops.

It will be seen that by having our front plate A separable the back-padsmay be permanently connected, as it is only necessary to open the frontplate or pad and unbuckle the waistband or belt F in order to apply orremove the supporter.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

l. The front plate formed in two separable sections overlapped at theiradjacent ends to form a rigid sliding connection, and means for securingthe two sections separably together in their adjusted positions;substantially as set forth.

2. The front or abdominal plate or pad formed in two separable sections,one section having guides, and the other section having an open slot,and in sliding connection with said guides,and a set-screw extendingthrough one section and through the said open slot in the other section;substantially as described.

3. The combination with the front plate provided with a marginalIlangecutawayat its upper corners, of the hip-straps pivoted at theirforward ends to the said front plate and extending through the saidcut-away portions, and headed studs projecting from the front plate inthe path of the lower edges of the hip-straps to prevent them fromdropping down too low.

4E. A combined abdominal and back supporter, comprising curved springhip-straps, an abdominal plate secured to the front ends ofsaidhip-straps and formed in two separable rigidly-connected sections, andabacksupporting device connecting the lrear ends of said hip-straps;substantially as described.

5. A combined abdominal and back support, comprising curved springhip-straps, an abdominal plate secured to the front ends of saidhip-straps and formed in two separable sections, back-springs securedbetween their ends to the rear ends of said hip-straps, backpads securedto the upper and lower ends of the back-springs, a belt connecting thetwo upper back-pads, and adapted to pass around the waist to beconnected at its ends above and independent of `the abdominal plate, and

.pads, and adapted to be fastened together at its ends above andindependent of the abdominal pad 5, substantially as described.

7. A combined abdominal and back supporter, comprising the curved springhipstraps, having a series of round holes in their rear ends, asectional separable abdominal plate connecting the front ends of thehipstraps, back-springs at the rear ends of the hip-straps,vprovidedwith a series of square apertures, screws passed through said holes andapertures, and having squared portions for the said square apertures,and smooth round portions for the said round holes, nuts on the outerends of the screws, connected pads on the lower ends of theback-springs, upper pads on the upper ends of the backsprings, and awaistband or belt connecting the upper back-pads, and adapted to befastened at its ends above and independent of the abdominal plate;substantially as described.

8. A combined abdominal and back supporter, comprising the iianged frontplate formed in two separable sections with its flange cut awayat itsupper corners, a headed stud on each section, curved spring hip-strapspivoted at their front ends to said sections and extending through saidcut-away portions, back-springs adjustably connected to the rear ends ofthe hip-straps, connected pads on the lower ends of the back-springs,pads on the upper ends of the back-springs,

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a waistband or belt connecting said upper plates or pads at its middle,and adapted to encircle the waist above the abdominal plate or pad, andperineal straps connected to the lower back-pads and provided at theirends with slides having keyhole-slots to engage the headed studs on theabdominal plate; substantially as described. v

9. A combined abdominal, back and `shoulder supporter or brace,comprising the curved spring hip-straps, the separable abdominal plateat the front ends of the hip-straps, the back-springs connected to therear ends of the hip-straps, the lower connected back-pads on the lowerendsof the back-springs, the perineal bands connecting the lowerback-pads with the abdominal plate, the waistband connecting the upperback pads or plates, and adapted to pass around the waist above andindependent of the abdominal plate and the shoulder-straps connected attheir lower ends to the upper back-pads; substantially as described.

10. A combined abdominal and back supporter, comprising the curvedspring hipstraps having a series of round holes in their rear ends, asectional separable abdominal plate connecting the front ends of thehipstraps, back-springs at the rear ends of the hip-straps provided witha series of square apertures, screws passed through said holes andapertures and having squared portions for the said square aperture andsmooth ron nd portions for the said round holes, nuts on the outer endsof the screws, pads on the lower ends of the back-springs and pads onthe upper ends of the back-springs.

1l. A combined abdominal and back supporter, comprising curved springhip-straps, an abdominal plate secured to the front ends of thehip-straps and formed in two separable rigidly-connected sections,back-supporting springs at the rear ends of the hip-straps, meanswhereby the back-springs may be adjusted along the rear ends of thehip-straps and also vertically on the hip-straps, and pads carried bythe ends of the said back-springs.

In testimony whereof we afx our signatures in presence of two witnesses.

HOWARD C. RASH. LEON C. RASH. Witnesses:

ALICE C. MoYER, CHARLOTTE L. DODGE.

